1. Field
The present disclosure relates generally to an improved data processing system and in particular to a method and apparatus for processing data. Still more particularly, the present disclosure relates to a computer implemented method, apparatus, and computer usable program product for simulating a network, the attached computer systems, and the applications on those systems in a fully integrated system simulation.
2. Background
Modern aircraft are extremely complex. For example, an aircraft may have many types of electronic systems on board. A particular electronic system on an aircraft may also be referred to as a line replaceable unit (LRU). Each line replaceable unit may further take on various forms. A line replaceable unit may be, for example, without limitation, a flight management system, an autopilot, an in flight entertainment system, a communications system, a navigation system, a flight controller, a flight recorder, and a collision avoidance system.
Line replaceable units such as these may use software or programming to provide the logic or control for various operations and functions. The software used in these line replaceable units may also commonly be treated as aircraft parts in the airline industry. In particular, a software application for use in a line replaceable unit on an aircraft may be tracked separately and referred to as a loadable software aircraft part (LSAP) or a software aircraft part.
These different systems on the aircraft are part of an aircraft network. Maintenance for components within an aircraft network is performed at an airport or other suitable maintenance facility. This maintenance may include, for example, performing diagnostics, sending software aircraft parts to the aircraft, and downloading downlink data. This maintenance also may include, for example, updating or reloading software for the line replaceable units.
Currently, airlines manage the handling and maintenance of software on aircraft in a manner that is cumbersome and time consuming. Software aircraft parts are stored on physical media, such as diskettes, compact discs, flash memories, or digital versatile discs. An airline receives a delivery of the physical media and stores that physical media in a location, such as, for example, a filing cabinet.
Maintenance operations with currently used systems involve locating the media containing software aircraft parts and transporting that media to the aircraft. This type of storage and retrieval process takes up space and time. Further, data may be retrieved from aircraft to perform maintenance operations.
Therefore, it would be advantageous to have a method and apparatus for overcoming or minimizing the problems discussed above as well as other system integration problems.